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(No Model.)

V. H-IMMER.

CIRCUIT CONTROLLER FOR ELECTRIC CLOCKS. No; 274.324.

Patented Mar.20,1883.

W1 TNESSES IJVYVEWTOR Vdalw' immer By his Attorneys E 7 UNITED STATES PATENT Genres,

-VITALIS HIMMER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO THE TIME TELE- GRAPH GOMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

.ClRCUlT-CONTROLLER FDR ELECTRIC CLQCKS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 274,324,

Application filed September 16, 1882,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I,VITALIS HIMMER,a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of New York, in the county and State of New York, have invented certain new and use ful Improvements in Oircuit-Gontrollers for Electric Clocks, of which the following is a specification.

My invention has reference to that class of electric time-indicators in which a central regulating-clock governs or regulates one or more secondary clocks included in the same electric circuit, the connections of which circuit are established and broken at regular intervals by the movements of the central clock.

It has been found by experience that when any of the moving parts of a regulating-clock are included inan electric circuit correct and uniform action cannot be maintained by reason of the heat generated by the electric current, which tends to expand the metals of which the parts are constructed. Moreover, the oil is decomposed and its lubricating qualities destroyed, oxidation takes place between the pinions and their bearings, and the timekeeping qualities of the clock are seriously impaired.

My invention has for its object to provide a simple and efficient circuit controller or breaker completely insulated from the working parts of the regulating-clock, but so connected therewith as to be operated by the pendulum thereof at regularly-recurring intervals of any desired number of beats, (preferably sixty,) and so adjusted as not to interfere in the least with its regular action.

To this end my invention consists in mounting upon a pivoted lever a contact-pin constituting one terminal of an electric circuit which includes the various secondary clocks to be actuated, which pin is normally insulated from a second contact-pin constituting the remaining terminal of the same circuit, and in providing means whereby an intermittent progressive movement is communicated from the pendulum of a central regulating-clock, by means of its successive vibrations, to a mech anical device for periodically placing the lever in such a position as to be actuated by the succeeding vibration of the pend ulum-rod and bring the two terminal pins or electrodes into dated March 20, 1888,

(No model.)

electrical connection, thereby closing the circuit through the secondary clocks. The same swing of the pendulum so operates the mechanical device as to again carry the lever out of the range of the pendulum until the accomplishment of a predetermined number of boats has again re-established the same conditions.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a front elevation. of a circuit-breaking device embodying my invention applied to the pendulum of a suitable regulator, showing also the circuit-connections in diagram. Fig. 2 is a plan of the same. Fig. 3 is a view and section taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2 to show more clearly a portion of the device.

Referring to the drawings, A represents the pendulum of a central regulating-clock,which may be driven by a spring, weight, or other suitable means.

Attached to the pendulum-rod A is an adj ustable clamp,-B, carrying an L-shaped arm, 1), upon which is pivoted at c c a lever, G, thelatter constituting a pawl for propelling the mechanism, as hereinafter described. The clamp B is secured to the pemlulum-rod A in any required vertical position by means of suitable set-screws, b b. The angular position of the arm b with reference to the pendulum-rod A is adjusted by means of. a pressure-screw, b turning in a correspondingly-threaded hole formed in the arm and bearing atits inner extremity against the side of the pendulum-rod.

Near the base of the arm I) is an arm, U,in the extremity of which is formed a horizontal groove, 0. The arm 0 normally moves to and fro with the pendulum free from the circuitbreaking device, but is constructed to periodiwhich frame is supported from the back of the 9 clock-frame by a bracket, F. The wheel D is in this instance provided with thirty teeth, and is constructed to be revolved by the action of the pawl 0 once during every minute when the latter is actuated by a seconds-beating clock.

IOC

Mounted upon the same arbor, E, with the ratchet-wheel D is a disk, Gr, provided at one point in its periphery with anotch or indentation, g. It is evident that this notch y will be brought once in each minute into the same given position with reference to the other parts of the circuitbreaking mechanism. The actuation of the circuit-closing device depends upon the recurrence of this position.

A lever, B, supported upon a suitable arbor, h, is also mounted within the frame-work E. A thin ribbon, H, of conducting materialsuch, for instance, as silver-connects the lever H with the frame E. The lever H carries, at a suitable distance from the arbor h, a contact'pin, I, which is in electrical connection with the lever H, and through the ribbon H with the frame-work E,standard F,and a binding-post,f, which is provided in the standard I and is connected by a wire, 1, with one pole of the battery 0. A corresponding contactpin, J, is supported above the contact-pin I, and at right angles thereto, upon a yielding arm, K. The arm K is supported upon a binding-post, L, secured to but insulated from the frame-work E by means of a block, P, of insulating material-such, for example, as hard rubber. The contact-pin J is in electrical connection through the arm K with the bindingpost L. The binding-post L is connected by a wire, 2, with the opposite pole of the battery 0. The two pins 1 and J are thus insulated from each other and remain normally out of contact with each other, since the arm 11 of the lever H, carrying the pin I, overbalances the opposite arm, H upon which is carried an adjustable counterpoise, 11*, for regulating the relative weight of the arms of the lever. The descent of the arm 11 is limited by apin, h projecting therefrom at right angles and resting upon the periphery of the disk G. Once in each revolution of the latter the notch g is brought beneath the pin 71- which thereupon falls into the same, thus allowing the arm H to descend still farther.

The means which I employ for bringing the two contact-pins I and J into electrical connection with each other at desired intervals are as follows: An arm, N, pivoted to the arm H of the lever B, carries at its remote extremity a pin, a, projecting therefrom at right angles. The pin a is designed to be engaged by the arm 0 at determinate intervals, and its position relative to that of the arm 0 is normally so adjusted that the latter will be carried by the vibrations ofthe pendulum just beneath the pin. brations of the pendulum have caused the pawl O to revolve the ratchet-wheel D and disk G to the point where the notch g is brought beneath the pin 71 the endof the lever H carrying the pin ]b2 will be allowed to fall a little farther, by reason of the entrance of the pin into the notch 9, thereby causing the pin a to descend into the path of the arm 0. The next succeeding vibration of the Nhen, however, the successive vipendulum-rod A will cause the arm 0 to engage the pin a by means of the notch 0, formed at the extremity thereof. The farther swing of the pendulum in the direction of the circuit-breaking device causes the extremity H of the lever H, carrying the circuit-closing pin I, to be elevated, thereby placing the pin 1 in contact with the contact-pin J. The circuit of the battery 0 will thereupon be completed through the electrical device S included there in. The same vibration of the pendulum A which causes the lever H to be elevated also causes the pawl O to move the ratchet-wheel D and disk Gr through one-thirtieth of a complete revolution, thereby carrying the notch g beyond the path of the pin h. The subsequent swing of the pendulum-rod A away from the circuit-closing device allows the lever H to assumeits normal position. The circuit between the contact-pins J and I will at the same time be interrupted. The pin it, however, now again rests upon the periphery of the disk G, and the pin a is held out of the path of the arm 0. For each revolution of the ratchet-wheel D and disk Gr this operation is repeated.

For the purpose of preventing the striking of the arm 0 against the pin a from interfering materially with the movementot'thependulum by ofi'ering too sudden a resistance to its motion,'l prefer to pivot the arm N loosely upon the end of the lever H, and to attach to the short arm of the former a flexible spring, a, which normally retains the pin a in its upward position, but permits the same to yield slightly when-pressed by the arm 0, thus allowing the end of the arm N to swing with the pendulum toward the circuit-breaking device, but at'the same time communicatingthe required upward motion of the lever H and pin I.

To insure a perfect electrical connection be tween the pins I and J, I prefer to mount the two, as shown in the drawings,at right angles with each other, and support the latter upon a flexible arm, which will allow a slight sliding of the contact-surflices. The friction thus occasioned maintains the surface bright and insures good electrical connections.

I have described the apparatus as arranged for closing a circuit once per minute; but it is evident that by varying the number of teeth on the ratchet-wheel D, or by employing more than one notch g in the periphery of the disk G, any required interval between the successive closings of the circuit may be secured.

I claim as my invention-- 1. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, with the pendulum of a clock, of a circuit-closing lever, a contact-pin carried thereon, means for normally maintaining said lever free from the active influence of said pendulum, and mechanism actuated at stated intervals by the movements of the pendulum, whereby the position of said circuit-closing lever may be periodically so modified that it shall be operated by the pendulum, thereby causing the said contact-pin to be placed in electrical connection with a second contact-pi n.

2. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, with the pendulum of a clock, of a pawl moving synchronously therewith, a ratchet-wheel actuated by the movements of said pawl, a disk moving with said wheel and having a notch or indentation formed within its periphery, a circuit-closing lever normally supported by a pin resting upon the periphery of said disk, and means, substantially such as described, for actuating said circuit-closin g lever when said notch or indentation passes beneath said pin.

3. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, with a clock-pendulum, of a circuit-closing lever, a disk for normally main taining said lever in a given position, a notch formed in the periphery of said disk for periodically allowing a change in the position of said lever to be made through the instrumentality of said pendulum, and mechanism, substantiall y such as described, for actuating said circuit-closing lever by the movement of said pendulum when such change in position has been effected.

4. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, with the pendulum of a clock, of a circuit-closing lever, an arm pivoted at the extremity thereof, an arm carried upon said pendulum, and means, substantially such as described, for periodically placing said pivi oted arm in a position to be engaged by the arm carried upon said pendulum, and thereby communicate a positive motion to the circuitclosing lever.

5. The combination, substantially as hereinbet'ore set forth, of a clock-pendulum, an arm adjustably attached thereto, a circuit-closing lever, an arm pivoted to said lever and periodically engaged by said adjustable arm, and a spring acting in opposition to the force periodically exerted upon said pivoted arm through said adjustable arm.

6. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, With the pendulum of a clock, of a circuit-closing lever, acontact-pin mounted thereon, a flexible conducting-ribbon for placin g said lever in electrical connection with one pole of a. battery, a second contact-pin supported upon a flexible arm above, and at an angle with, said contact-pin, and electrically connected with the opposite pole of said battery, an arm pivoted to one extremity of said lever, and an arm carried upon said pendulum for establishing a frictional contact between said pins through the instrumentality of said pendulum.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name this 9th day of September, A. D. 1882.

VlTALIS HIMMER.

Witnesses:

DANIEL W. EDGEOOMB, CHARLES A. TERRY. 

